So you’re going to be moving to London and you’d like to know a little more about English culture and their way of life before you get there. Watching English television is one of the best ways of getting to know your new country and London in particular. The British are particular about their telly (television) and have a thriving television industry. Watching some British TV before you arrive will also attune your ear to the regional accents that are found across England. Sometimes they can be incomprehensible to foreigners, but if you listen to them long enough you’ll find yourself slowly starting to understand individual words and phrases.

If you are moving to London, expect to pay a licence fee to watch public broadcasting on the TV. The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) provides television programming, radio and internet services across England and uses the funds from licence fees to keep it in business. While other networks and media companies raise their revenues through advertising, the BBC differs in that it relies entirely on funds collected from licence fees.